Blindfolded, violinists unable to mark out a Stradivarius

[srican69]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/10750846/Stradivarius-Youd-be-better-off-with-a-modern-violin.html

The name Stradivarius has been synonymous with musical excellence for three centuries with instruments selling for millions amid claims that their sound quality is unparalleled.
However it may pain purists to learn that professional violinists cannot actually tell the difference between the antique instruments and modern models.
When 10 renowned soloists were blindfolded and asked to play a range of violins the majority preferred a newer instrument.

and someone recently bought a Stradivarius at a Sotheby's Auction for 45 Million Dollars !!!! I can understand if the violin belonged to Mozart ...

[tridim]

1. Hehe, my violin, made in 1918 sells for about $900, and it sounds better than any Strad I've heard.

It is a hand-crafted, quality Stradivarius copy that will continue to get better with age... At 1/50,000th the cost!

Rich suckers.

[frazzled]

2. This study was in the news 2 years ago

Slow news day in the UK? See article on same Claudia Fritz study from January 2012 in the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/03/science/in-play-off-between-old-and-new-violins-stradivarius-lags.html?_r=0

Unless Prof. Fritz has just repeated the study again recently. In which case, it's still a kind of old story.

[go west young man]

3. They don't look so blind to me.

[tech3149]

4. Not too surprised

I only know stringed instruments but to me the value is in the sound and playability.
My first guitar was a busted up Harmony F hole that I put back together. It was tough as hell to play because the action was high but it was great training. It sounded great, I almost felt like Django. My next was a cheap assed Fender flat top. It played like a dream and sounded really good for a laminated top. I nicknamed it "rubberneck" because it was so cheaply built.
I've played Guild, Martin,Taylor, and many others over the years.

Some of the best I've played have been far from the most expensive. The value is in the enjoyment.